Lean, Mean + Clean Eats: Spicy Turkey Chili with Basil-Bombed Cornbread

Mmmm... how could you not?

Ohhhh another cold, snowy day in Edmonton. If it weren't for my 3 day weekend, I might have been a little bummed! ha 

For those of you who I haven't caught up, I've got some exciting things on the go right now! I have one more test left until I am done my CanFitPro Personal Trainer certification (how exciting, right??!) and have already moved on to working towards my Nutrition Coach certification. Needless to say, my day was full of protein synthesis, muscular concepts, a big ol' mug of coffee and a big cozy fireplace and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Dad's in town from Calgary this weekend and stopped by my place for a quick lunch on his way in and this chili made for a perfect little lunch. (Original recipe cred: Lisa Lavery on chow.com) I picked up a package of Bob's Red Mill Cornbread mix (gluten-free) which I made with coconut oil and used my bestie Christal's little trick -- fresh chopped basil stuffed into the cornbread to add an extra punch of flavor. YUM! You've gotta try this, I'm telling you! A nice warm and spicy meal packed with fiber, protein and veggies... what more could you ask for? Here's the magic: 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c jalapenos, diced

1 lb ground turkey

3 tbsp chili powder

fresh ground sea salt + black pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup organic chicken broth

1 can red kidney beans

2 bay leaves

a few shakes of Franks

Heat oil over medium heat in large, deep pan and once hot, add bell pepper, onion, and garlic - cook until soft (about 5 mins). Up the heat from medium to high, and add ground turkey and jalapenos - cook until no longer pink. Add spices and cook until your house smells like home :-) (about 1 min). 

Add brother and can of tomatoes with juices, crank heat to high until pot simmers. Add rinsed beans to pot and re-simmer. Reduce heat to medium low, add hot sauce and bay leaves, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 30-45 mins and serve with a spoonful of greek yogurt, a few grates of your fav cheese, some fresh chopped cilantro (gives it a great fresh flavor and balances out the spiciness!) and you're ready to rock :-) 

As for my quote of the day, I am almost more excited to share this with you than the recipe!! ha ha This one lights my heart up... no two ways about it. 

“I FOUND EVERY SINGLE SUCCESSFUL PERSON I'VE EVER SPOKEN TO HAD A TURNING POINT. THE TURNING POINT WAS WHEN THEY MADE A CLEAR, SPECIFIC UNEQUIVOCAL DECISION THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO LIVE LIKE THIS ANYMORE; THEY WERE GOING TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS. SOME PEOPLE MAKE THAT DECISION AT 15 AND SOME PEOPLE MAKE IT AT 50, AND MOST PEOPLE NEVER MAKE IT ALL.”

BRIAN TRACY

Yours in strength and stretchiness, 

xo Brooke

Lean, Mean + Clean Eats: Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs with green salad -- When I am not dieting for a show, I will add some extra goodies to my salad (cheese/nuts/seeds/broken crackers) and throw a bottle of dressing into my bag for a quick lunch

Hi All!

A short + sweet recipe for anyone looking to "spice" up their lunchbox this week!! ;-)

Brooke's Clean Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 package ground chicken

½ small white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, pressed (garlic press)
½ tsp extra virgin olive oil
½ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ - ¼ cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
A few shakes of sea salt + fresh ground black pepper

 Line a baking sheet with tin foil and preheat oven to 350 F. Chop the onion and press the garlic and toss into a frying pan over medium-low heat with olive oil. Soften for 3-5 mins until lightly golden, then add to a mixing bowl along with all other ingredients. Mix together until all ingredients are evenly distributed. I like to use a tablespoon to grab the meat out of the bowl and form into meatballs from there. This way’s nice because it also keeps them all the same size so they bake evenly. ;) The more you know... lol!

Bake for 10 mins, turn the meatballs over, and bake for another 5-7 mins. I always just break one apart to make sure they're cooked all the way through - just keep in mind they will have a little bit of a red/pinkish color to them because of all the hot sauce in the recipe! :-) Let cool + enjoy!

Way to mess up my name, Starbucks lady... ! ha ha ha ;-p

Make-a-Meal
For a quick and light meal, I love serving these meatballs with carrot sticks + celery, some Bolthouse fresh ranch dip and a handful of tamari almonds or throwing them into a big salad!

Depending on my fitness goals (if my meal includes carbs) I’ll add these into a bowl with some quinoa and a bunch of fresh chopped veggies. I like grated carrot, chopped green onions, chopped bell peppers, a few crumbles of feta (the goat’s milk type is my fav!) a few slices of avocado and a few shakes of tamari or soy sauce. Seriously delish! 

Lastly, a classic and comforting twist: spaghetti and meatballs! I'm not a huge fan of pasta, so I use spaghetti squash instead of noodles (a GREAT low carb, less processed substitute) and add my favorite tomato sauce -- Newman's Own and some mushrooms + onions!

Fit Tip <3

I do my grocery shopping between Save-On, Superstore, Sobeys and Costco and between all of these stores, Superstore's ground chicken is priced true to it's weight and normally runs around $5.50 for a pack, whereas Save-On sells the exact same package for $7. I know it's only $1.50 but when you go through as much ground chicken as I do, it adds up! ;) What can I say? My dad used to pack us all into the car on a Saturday to drive across town, to the Brick, when he heard a radio commercial saying they were giving away free coffee mugs and hot dogs.... so it goes without saying.... I know a good deal when I see one! lol!

 My mantra for this week is "When we write down our dreams, they become goals; when we act upon our goals, they become reality." So dream big, work hard, and don't you dare stop until you succeed!

Have a lean, mean + clean day fitfam!!!

xo Brooke